Attachment of load carriers to rearward sides of vehicles, using hitch-mount receivers, is known. Such hitch-mounted load carriers typically allow the convenient transportation of equipment, such as bicycles. One type of hitch-mounted load carrier comprises a hinged, or swing-away, type carrier.
Hinged, or swing-away, type hitch mounted load carriers typically include diamond-style extendable carriers and two-arm swing-away carriers. Diamond style extendable carriers are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,745,926 B2 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,085,954 (Bloemer). Two-arm swing away style carriers are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,664,717 (Joder) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,454,496 (Sumida et al.). Swing-away type load carriers typically include multiple pivot linkages that allow the extending arms to be swung away and distanced from the transporting vehicle during loading and unloading. A problem with these devices, however, is that their extending arms can tend to rotate, or sag, at their hinged connections. Additionally, as the number of hinged connections increases, or as the weight of equipment loaded upon the extending arms increases, sagging may become more pronounced. This can be problematic because sagging tends to angularly displace the upright load supporting members, from their preferred vertical orientation. When this occurs, it can be difficult to properly latch the load supporting member to a stationary portion of the carrier, which is typically connected to the vehicle's hitch receiver by means of a connecting arm, or stinger portion. Preferably, then, when the load carrier is in a traveling configuration, a parallel relationship is maintained between a fixed upright post, which is typically attached to the vehicle's hitch receiver by the connecting arm (stinger portion), and an upright load supporting member. Lack of parallelism between the upright post and the upright load supporting member can make it difficult to securely connect the upright post and the upright load supporting member. Consequently, minimizing play and sagging of the extending pivoting arms of a swing-away type load carriers and their connections to the carrying vehicle would be advantageous.
Another problem associated with known swing-away type load carriers is that during loading and unloading, the pivoting sections can inadvertently rotate, which can result in undesirable shifting of the load carrier, uncontrolled shifting of load carrier components, undesirable shifting of equipment secured thereon, possible damage to equipment or transporting vehicle, or injury to users.
In view of the above, there is a longfelt need to address these and other disadvantages.